Rameen Devi.; Sch J Agric Vet Sci.

, Aug-Sep 2015; 2(4A):304-311

Scholars Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences e-ISSN 2348–1854

Sch J Agric Vet Sci 2015; 2(4A):304-311 p-ISSN 2348–8883
©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publishers (SAS Publishers)
(An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources)

Food Processing and Impact on Nutrition

Rameen Devi*
Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

*Corresponding Authors
Name: Rameen Devi
Email: [email protected]

Abstract: The basic objective of this article is to discuss the effect of food processing on health. Processing (including
preparation) makes food healthier, safer, tastier and more shelf-stable. While the benefits are numerous, processing can
also be detrimental, affecting the nutritional quality of foods. Blanching, for example, results in leaching losses of
vitamins and minerals. Also, milling and extrusion can cause the physical removal of minerals during processing. The
findings and conclusion of this paper is that processed food is an important part of our daily life. In spite of its
detrimental effects on our health, it is impossible to live without it.
Keywords: Food processing, Shelf-life, Nutritional quality of food

INTRODUCTION modern technology and to create a surplus for exports

As per ministry of food processing of India and stimulating demand for processed food.
(MOSPI), the process of value addition to the
agriculture or horticulture product by various methods Food processing industry comprises of three
like grading, sorting and packing is known as „food segments based on levels of processing.
Processing‟. In other words, it is a technique of
manufacturing and preserving food substances in an Primary processing of food comprises of
effective manner with a view to enhance their shelf life; sorting, grading and packaging of fruits and vegetables,
improve quality as well as to make it more useful. It milk, rice, spices, etc. Secondary processing of food
covers a wide range of products from sub-sectors comprises of re-shaping of food for ease of
comprising agriculture, horticulture, plantation, animal consumption. It includes flour, oil cakes, tea leaf and
husbandry and fisheries. The Ministry of Food beverages powder etc. Tertiary Processing of Food (or)
Processing indicates the following segments within the Value Added Food Segment includes processed fruits
Food Processing industry: and vegetables, juices, jam & jelly etc.

• Dairy, fruits & vegetable processing Food Processing Industry is the most important
• Grain processing segment in the world because it has major contribution
• Meat & poultry processing in the survival of the people in the societies and Gross
• Fisheries Domestic Product in India. Therefore, I have taken this
• Consumer foods including packaged foods, beverages sector to study and analyze.
and packaged drinking water.
Literature Review
Industries which use agriculture inputs for John Connor, Dale Heien, Jean Kinsey, and
manufacturing of edible products are also included in it. Robert [3] Will in their study discussed about the
In way this food processing industry provides vital structure of the demand for food, costs of production
linkages and synergies between industry and and supply, and competitive structure of the industry as
agriculture. The food processing industry sector is one economic forces shaping the food processing industry.
of the largest in terms of production, consumption, The study surveys the trends in these economic forces
export and growth prospects. over the past three decades that are likely to prove
useful for managerial decisions in the future.
The ministry of food processing industries
(MOSPI) is a ministry of the government of India Bhupat M Desai, N V Namboodiri [4] this
responsible for formulation and administration of the paper has analysed development and financial
rules and regulations and laws relating to food performance of selected food-processing industries,
processing in India. the ministry was set up in the year food grains milling, edible oilseeds processing,
1988, with a view to develop a strong and vibrant food sugarcane processing and milk processing all of which
processing industry, to create increased employment in produce mass consumption goods. It prioritises these
rural sector and enable farmers to reap the benefits of

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Rameen Devi.; Sch J Agric Vet Sci., Aug-Sep 2015; 2(4A):304-311

industries for development based on the performance Some of the major initiatives taken by the
criteria and discusses strategies. Government of India to progress the food processing
Paul G. Giddings [5] in paper discussed about sector in India are as follows:
the economic factors affecting most segments of the
food processing industry and also give brief review is to Ms Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for
point out some of the problems and uncertainties which, Food Processing Industries, Government of India has
in our judgment, tend to make food processing a inaugurated the first of its kind Rs 136 crore (US$
relatively unattractive area for investment at today's 21.76 million) mega international food park at Dabwala
high multiples of earning. Kalan, Punjab.

Caroline Lloyd & Susan James [6] in this Ministry of Food Processing Industries has a
article examine the impact of supply chain pressures on scheme for human resource development (HRD) in the
the UK food processing industry and the implications food processing sector. The HRD scheme is being
for occupational health and safety. Based upon case implemented through State Governments under the
studies in three meat processing plants, the research National Mission on Food Processing. The scheme has
found that although the number of accidents is the following four components:
declining, little progress has been made in dealing with  Creation of infrastructure facilities for
the widespread ill-health problems associated with degree/diploma courses in food processing sector
largely repetitive and, in some cases, heavy work  Entrepreneurship development Programme (EDP)
regimes. Supermarkets play a contradictory role in that  Food Processing Training Centres (FPTC)
they provide incentives to improve health and safety  Training at recognised institutions at State/National
while at the same time their price and delivery demands level
have a detrimental impact.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of
Kumar & Parsad [1] in this article discuss the India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family
present emerging scenario of Government Policies, Welfare has issued the Food Safety and Standards
regulatory Frame Work and business trends in food (Food Product Standards and Food Additives)
processing industry in India. The findings and Regulations, 2011 and the Food Safety and Standards
conclusion of this paper is that the India is the world‟s (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations,
second largest producer of Food next to China, and has 2011 which prescribe the quality and safety standards,
the potential of being the biggest in the world. respectively for food products.

Hoover [2] in his paper study the prevention of The Ministry of Food Processing Industries
food processing wastes and conclude that technology has taken some new initiatives to develop the food
for treating wastes resulting from food processing is processing sector which will also help to enhance the
available, and is moderately successful by today's incomes of farmers and export of agro and processed
standards, it does not meet national goals set forth in the foods among others. The government has also approved
Clean Water Restoration Act of 1972. Processes need to the setting up of five numbers of Mega Food Parks in
be changed to reduce wastes, maintain product quality, the states of Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and
and improve product yield. Chhattisgarh.

Objectives of Study The Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) has

 To give an overview of food processing. planned to offer a packaging solution to the famed
 To study the effect of food processing on nutrient Tirupati „Laddu‟ to enhance its shelf life. They have
content of food. also planned to install automatic vacuum packaging
system for the packaging of „Laddu‟ with higher shelf
Government’s initiatives life.
In order to encourage food processing
industries, increase level of processing and exploit the Why Food have to be Processed
potential of domestic and international market for Approximately all food is processed in various
processed food products, Vision Document-2015 was ways before it is eaten. Commercially, the main reasons
prepared by the Ministry, which envisaged trebling the to process food are to remove micro-organisms (which
size of investment in the processed food sector by may cause disease) and to extend shelf life.
increasing the level of processing of perishables from 6
per cent to 20 per cent, value addition from 20 per cent Simply cooking or combining a food with
to 35 per cent and share in global food trade from 1.5 other foodstuffs to create a recipe is also considered a
per cent to 3 per cent by 2015. To achieve these targets, form of food processing. Whatever the case, the nutrient
an investment of Rs 100,000 crore (US$ 16 billion) is value of any food is often changed by the processing.
required by the year 2015.

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Effects of processing and storage of food soluble vitamins are particularly sensitive to high
Some vitamins are more stable (less affected temperatures. Many people believe that canned foods
by processing) than others. Water-soluble vitamins (B- are not as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, but this
group and C) are more unstable than fat-soluble is not always the case, as fresh food often deteriorates
vitamins (K, A, D and E) during food processing and more rapidly than canned foods.
storage.
Freezing
The most unstable vitamins include The nutrient value of a food is retained when it
• Folate is frozen. Any nutrient losses are due to the processing
• Thiamine prior to freezing and the cooking once the frozen food is
• Vitamin C. thawed.

More stable vitamins include Pasteurisation

• Niacin (vitamin B3) Pasteurisation involves heating liquid foods
• Vitamin K such as milk and fruit juices to specific temperatures to
• Vitamin D destroy micro-organisms. The nutrient value of milk is
• Biotin (vitamin B7) generally unaffected. In the case of pasteurised fruit
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). juices, some losses of vitamin C can occur.

Processes affecting food nutrient content High pressure processing

A variety of things can happen during the This alternative preservation method subjects a
growing, harvesting, storage and preparing of food that food to elevated pressures, with or without the use of
can affect its nutritional substance. Processes that heat to kill micro-organisms. This method has been
expose foods to high levels of heat, light or oxygen used in foods such as fruit juices. As heat is not
cause the greatest nutrient loss. required, this process impacts less on the vitamin
content, flavour and colour of foods.
Fertilisers
Most plant crops are produced with the aid of Dehydrating
fertilised in soils. High use of nitrogen fertilisers tends Drying out foods such as fruits can reduce the
to reduce the vitamin C content in many fruit and amount of vitamin C they retain, but it can also
vegetable crops. It does not seem to make any concentrate other nutrients, particularly fibre in plant
difference to the plant‟s nutrient value whether the foods. Dehydrating food also makes food products more
fertiliser is organic or not. energy dense, which may contribute to weight gain. If a
dehydrated food is reconstituted and cooked with water,
Milling further nutrients are leached out of the food and lost in
Cereals such as wheat can be ground to the cooking water.
remove the stringy husks. The husks contain most of the
plant‟s dietary fibre, B-group vitamins, photochemical Preparation of vegetables
and some minerals. That is why products such as white Most vegetables are peeled or trimmed before
bread are less healthful than wholemeal varieties, even cooking to remove the tough skin or outer leaves. But
if they have been artificially fortified with some of the most nutrients, such as vitamins, tend to lie close to the
nutrients that were lost after milling. It is impossible to skin surface, so excessive trimming can mean a huge
add back everything that is taken out, especially the reduction in a vegetable‟s nutrient value.
phytochemicals. The „fibre‟ that is added back to some
products is often in the form of resistant starch, which Losing nutrients through cooking
may not be as beneficial as the fibre removed. Some vitamins dissolve in water, so you lose
your vitamins to the cooking water if you prefer to boil
Blanching your vegetables. For example, boiling a potato can
Before a food is canned or frozen, it is usually cause much of the potato‟s B and C vitamins to migrate
heated very quickly with steam or water. The water into the boiling water. It is still possible to benefit from
soluble vitamins, including vitamin C and B-complex, these nutrients if you consume the liquid, for example,
are sensitive and easily destroyed by blanching. by turning the potato and the liquid into a soup.
Alternative cooking methods such as grilling, roasting,
Canning steaming, stir-frying or microwaving generally preserve
Food is heated inside the can to kill any a greater amount of vitamins and other nutrients.
dangerous micro-organisms and extend the food‟s shelf
life. Some types of micro-organisms require severe heat Advantage of processed food
treatment and this may affect the taste and texture of the Food processing is a set of methods and
food, making it less appealing. Preservatives are techniques used to transform raw food ingredients into
generally not needed or used in canned foods. Water- consumable food. Food processing can be as simple as

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cutting up some vegetables to prepare a salad, or as Disadvantage of processed food

complex as manufacturing a Twinkie in multiple The further a food product is from its natural
processing facility. From the early days of food form, the less it retains its healthful nutritional
processing, the primary goal was to enlarge the life of a properties. Vitamins evaporate, minerals are leached,
foodstuff, by acting as a preservative. This helped and fiber is long forgotten. True, the decrease in
balance humans‟ need to eat daily with nature‟s trend to nutrients has led to enrichment and fortification, but
provide crops only during certain times of the year. these add only a small number of nutrients back to a
Now a day, extending shelf life is one of the most product, where hundreds of others are lost in translation
important reasons food manufacturers adding so many from the original orange to the orange drink in a plastic
weird sounding ingredients to products. One of the first bottle. Increasing shelf life requires the use of
forms of food processing, dating back to BC, was the preservatives, whether natural ones such as salt or
salting of meats as a means of preservation. Sugar was artificial chemicals that have more specific functions
introduced much later as a preservative for fruit, and (mold inhibitors, bacteria killers, antioxidants,
thus the jam was born. Keeping food cold, either antimicrobial chemicals, etc.). Some of these
underground, or by using ice, was an effective, if preservatives have adverse side effects on some or all
ancient method of preservation until the ascent of ice human populations. In order to make food more
boxes and recently electrical refrigeration. In the early palatable and attractive, additives are used. Food
19th century a new technology was introduced to colourings are a huge category of additives. The colour
vacuum bottles of food for French troops. It would lead of a food is an important psychological consideration.
to the use of tin cans a decade later and thus the canning But in many cases, the colour of the processed product
industry was born. Pasteurization, another French is not as bold as expected by the consumer. Take
invention from the mid 19th century, greatly improved strawberry yogurts. Almost all manufacturers add some
the safety of milk and milk products, as well as kind of colouring, whether a natural red colour such as
increasing their shelf life. Another key benefit to beet juice, a natural but quirky bug juice, or artificial
processing foods is the ability for producers to ensure Red. Despite studies that have shown correlation
food safety and remove or prevent dangerous toxins. between food colourings and cognitive problems in
Milk pasteurization, for example, removes harmful children, the food industry uses them because they are
bacteria from raw milk, making it suitable for human cheaper than natural sources. And since cost has
consumption. Food processing methods that remove become a motivating factor in consumer consideration,
water, such as drying and smoking, reduce or limit the food companies are constantly on the lookout for
possibility of bacterial growth because the bacteria rely cheaper manufacturing techniques and cheaper source
on the water to grow and multiply. It was only in the ingredients. Anything that can be made in a lab is
industrialized 20th century, and more prominently after cheaper than a naturally sourced ingredient.
World War II, that a third and crucial factor became the Substituting quality ingredients with cheaper or inferior
motivating force behind food processing – convenience. standbys is the only way to keep prices down. Don‟t
With legions of moms joining the work force, there was even ask what parts of animal carcasses go into your
less time to toil in the kitchen, and a demand for quick, baloney. Farm subsidies in the US have made corn and
easy to prepare foods skyrocketed. Additional benefits soy products very cheap. Guess what – soy oil and high
of food processing include lower prices to consumers fructose corn syrup are found in many processed items.
due to the economies of scale of mass manufacturing, They add the fat and sweet components that make so
increased availability of a wide variety of foods, and a many junk foods tasty to us. Salt is natural and cheap,
consistency in taste, texture, and mouth feel. These but excessive consumption causes hypertension and
food-processing industries through their high raw other health problems.
material intensity are intimately dependent on the
performance of the agricultural sector which provides Effect of Food Processing on Vitamins and Minerals
their raw material. Development of these industries Nearly every food preparation process reduces
therefore provides a forward linkage to this sector. the amount of nutrients in food. In particular, processes
that expose foods to high levels of heat, light, and/or
The significant benefits for different oxygen cause the greatest nutrient loss. Nutrients can
stakeholders involved in food processing are: also be "washed out" of foods by fluids that are
Farmer – higher yield, better farm realization, lower introduced during a cooking process. For example,
risk boiling a potato can cause much of the potato's B and C
vitamins to migrate to the boiling water. You'll still
Consumer – greater variety, lower prices, new products benefit from those nutrients if you consume the liquid
(i.e. if the potato and water are being turned into potato
Companies – new business opportunities, demand soup), but not if you throw away the liquid. Similar
growth losses also occur when you broil, roast, or fry in oil, and
then drain off the drippings.
Economy/Government – Employment generation,
reduced rural migration

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The table below compares the typical Actual losses will depend on many different factors,
maximum nutrient losses for common food processing including type of food and cooking time and
methods. This table is included as a general guide only. temperature.

Table-1:Typical maximum nutrient losses as compared to raw material

Vitamins Freeze Dry Cook Cook+Drain Raheat
Vitamin A 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Retinol Activity 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Equivalent
Alpha Carotene 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Beta Carotene 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Beta Cryptoxanthin 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Lycopene 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Lutein+Zeaxanthin 5% 50% 25% 35% 10%
Vitamin C 30% 80% 50% 75% 50%
Thiamin 5% 30% 55% 70% 40%
Riboflavin 0% 10% 25% 45% 5%
Niacin 0% 10% 40% 55% 5%
Vitamin B6 0% 10% 50% 65% 45%
Folate 5% 50% 70% 75% 30%
Food Folate 5% 50% 70% 75% 30%
Folic Acid 5% 50% 70% 75% 30%
Vitamin B12 0% 0% 45% 50% 45%
Minerals Freeze Dry Cook Cook+Drain Reheat
Calcium 5% 0% 20% 25% 0%
Iron 0% 0% 35% 40% 05
Magnesium 0% 0% 25% 40% 0%
Phosphorus 0% 0% 25% 35% 0%
Potassium 10% 0% 30% 70% 0%
Sodium 0% 0% 25% 55% 0%
Zinc 0% 0% 25% 25% 0%
Copper 10% 0% 40% 4%5 0%
Source-USDA

Effect of Food Processing on Carbohydrates processing, the starch granules are not completely
Food processing or cooking can have dissolved however, their partial gelatinization is
considerable effect on the ingredient carbohydrates. sufficient to allow a good part of the starch to be
During cooking soluble carbohydrates are dissolved e.g. digested quickly. In the steaming of food, the
sucrose. Some polysaccharides get hydrolyzed. This process of gelatinization occurs to a small amount
may alter the rate and extent of digestion of starch and whereby a large proportion of slowly digestible
the properties of dietary fibre. starch is preserved.

Effect on Starch Retrogradation

Heating the food to cook it and cooling thereafter The process of re-association of the starch
before consuming have a significant effect on the granules on cooling of the gelatinized starch or the
starchy components of the food. These can be starch paste is called retro gradation. It depends on
understood in terms of two important phenomena. the relative proportions of amylase and
These are given below: amylopectin in starch as linear amylose molecules
re-associate faster than the highly branched
Gelatinization amylopectins. Reheating starchy foods also
On heating starch in the presence of water, the influences this process. The digestibility of starch
crystalline structure of the starch granules is lost in the small intestine is reduced by the degree of
irreversibly by a process called gelatinization. It is processing and retro gradation. The staling of bread
due to absorption of water by starch granules and is due to retro gradation of starch and the rate of
turning into a jelly like substance. In this process, staling is temperature dependent.
amylopectin forms the gel and amylase comes into
solution. When heating is continued in excess Effect on Dietary Fibre
water, more soluble components of starch come The cereal grains are usually milled to form
into solution and a paste results. In the food refined flours, which are processed to prepare food

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products. The milling process removes the fiber-rich foods contain phosphate additives that
outer layers of the grain, and diminishes the total fiber augment taste, texture, and shelf-life. But these
content. The flours of wheat, rye, and maize contain additives are known to cause health problems
large amounts of cellulose and hemicelluloses. Oat and like rapid aging, kidney deterioration and weak
barley also lose some dietary fiber in the process of bones, according to the Rodale Institute, which
milling. Besides it heat treatment can also influence the makes foods that, contain them far less
physical structure and the functional properties of the attractive to those in the know.
dietary fiber. The pectin substances cause thickening of
juices, also these are also responsible for mushy nature  Fresh foods are actually cheaper than
of vegetables. processed foods. People with junk food
addictions often claim that fresh,
Deteriorative Changes in Fats and Oils and their healthy foods are too expensive. But according
Prevention to numerous studies and assessments, whole
Food processes like heating and frying lead to foods made from scratch end up costing less
polymerization of fats that leads to change in molecular per serving than their unhealthy, processed
weight, colour, viscosity and refractive index of the fat equivalents. According to Rodale, a single
or the oil used. The presence of enzymes, atmospheric serving of 100 percent organic chilli made
oxygen and application of high temperature are the with fresh ingredients and grass-fed beef, for
factors responsible for such changes. The deteriorative instance, is about 50 cents cheaper to make
changes in fats and oils are termed rancidity. In some than buying a can of chemical-laden,
cases containing high content of PUFA (Linolenic acid) microwaveable chilli from the grocery store.
lose the flavour giving a taste to it. This is called
flavour reversion. It is of great economic concern to the  Processed foods cause chronic inflammation.
food industry because it leads to the development of One of the leading causes of chronic illness
various off-flavours and off-odours in edible oils and today is inflammation. And studies continue to
fat-containing foods, which render these foods less show that refined sugars, processed flours,
acceptable. Lipid oxidation is one of the major causes vegetable oils, and many other nasty
of food spoilage. Oxidative reactions can decrease the ingredients commonly found in processed
nutritional quality of food and certain oxidation foods are largely responsible for this
products are potentially toxic. On the other hand, under inflammation epidemic. So the next time your
certain conditions, a limited degree of lipid oxidation is body craves a candy bar or a box of cheese
sometimes desirable, as in aged cheeses and in some crackers, consider the fact that heart disease,
fried foods. dementia, neurological problems, respiratory
failure, and cancer have all been linked to the
Processed Food Dangers chronic inflammation caused by
Resisting the urge to drink that soda pop or eat processed food consumption.
those chips can be tough, especially if you have grown
habituated to eating these highly addictive foods as part
 Processed foods ruin digestion. Because they
of your normal diet. But once you understand a little bit
have been stripped of their natural fibers,
more about how these and other processed foods affect
enzymes, vitamins, and other nutrients,
your mind, body, and even your soul, it becomes easier
processed foods tend to wreak havoc on the
to make healthier food choices that enrich your being
digestive tract. Chronic consumption of such
rather than sap it. Here are nine motivating reasons why
foods can throw your internal ecosystem off
you should cut processed foods from your diet for good:
balance, harming beneficial bacteria and
Here are nine motivating reasons why you should cut
exposing your system to infection. So you can
processed foods from your diet for good:
basically think of those gummy bears and that
piece of cake as literal poison for your system,
 Processed foods are highly addictive. Your which may help deter you from eating them.
body processes whole foods much differently
than it does refined, processed, and heavily-
modified "junk" foods. Processed foods tend to  Processed foods destroy your mind. If you
over stimulate the production of dopamine, suffer from chronic bouts of brain "fog," or
also known as the "pleasure" neurotransmitter, have difficulty concentrating and thinking
which makes you crave them constantly. Your normally, chances are your diet has something
body ends up not being able to resist the to do with it. And a recent study out of Oxford
temptation to continue eating junk foods in University lends credence to this possibility,
excess, which can lead to fatness and other having found that junk food consumption can
health problems. cause people to become angry and irritable.
 Processed foods often contain phosphates that Nutrient-dense whole foods, on the other hand,
can help level out your mood, sustain your
destroy your organs, bones. Many processed

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Rameen Devi.; Sch J Agric Vet Sci., Aug-Sep 2015; 2(4A):304-311

energy levels, and leave you feeling calmer

and more collected. Processing extends the shelf life of foods.
Tinned fish and UHT (ultra high temperature) milk are
 Processed foods are loaded with GMOs. The two examples of nutritious foods that are readily
basic buildings blocks of most processed foods available as a result of food processing.
on the market today are derived from
laboratories, not nature. Genetically-modified Processing also improves food safety by a
organisms (GMOs), which have been linked to variety of methods– for example; heating to sufficiently
infertility, organ damage, gastrointestinal high temperatures destroys harmful bacteria; certain
disorders, and cancer, are prolific in processed additives help prevent fats going off (rancid) and
foods. Excess consumption of these poisons prevent the growth of harmful fungus and bacteria;
promotes weight gain, acidifies your blood, packaging helps to prevent product tampering.
and can even permanently alter the
composition and function of your intestinal Convenience is another major benefit of foods
flora. that have been processed. Imagine not having frozen
food or tinned vegetables for that quick and easy
 Processed foods are loaded with pesticides. In Sunday dinner.
order to effectively grow the GMOs used in
Myth: Processed foods are not as nutritious as fresh
processed foods, conventional farmers have to
apply Roundup (glyph sate) and other foods.
pesticides and herbicides, many of which end
up in the final product. According to data Fact
compiled by Rodale, breakfast cereals alone Many processed foods are just as nutritious or
have been found to contain up to 70 different in some cases even more nutritious than fresh foods that
types of pesticides, including warehouse have been stored depending on the manner in which
fumigation chemicals and other residues. they are processed.

Frozen vegetables are usually processed within

 Processed foods are not actually food. One of
a few hours of harvest. There is little nutrient loss in the
the ways you can assess the nutritional value
freezing process, so frozen vegetables retain their high
of food is to see how animals, insects, bacteria,
vitamin and mineral content. In contrast, fresh
and fungi respond to it. Real foods will
vegetables are picked and transported to market. It can
actually rot or grow mold, for instance, while
take days or even weeks before they reach the dinner
fake, processed foods remain largely the same
table and vitamins are gradually lost over time no
in appearance and shape no matter what their
matter how carefully the vegetables are transported and
age. As we reported recently, processed food is
stored.
essentially synthetic, and the industry that
produces it admits that heavy tampering and
Some processing methods can cause the loss of
crafty modifications are necessary to make it
certain nutrients e.g. some vitamins and minerals are
taste real, even though it is not.
lost in cooking water or parts of the grain that are
removed to produce white flour). However, the
Some myth and Fact
processing of foods can also add nutritional benefits.
Consumers today are faced with a wide variety
For example, lycopene, a powerful antioxidant (a
of food choices. Processed foods offer variety and
protective substance for the body) found in tomatoes
enjoyment to our diets. In this article we look at some
and watermelons, has been shown to become more
of the myths and facts about processed foods.
available to the body (“bio-available”) when the
tomatoes are processed into for example tomato paste,
Myth
ketchup or soup.
Processed foods offer no benefits.
Myth
Fact
The additives in processed foods are not
Food processing makes many foods available
necessary
that we could not otherwise eat.
Fact
Without food processing we certainly would
Food additives play an important role in
not have the large variety of food products we
preserving the freshness, safety, taste, appearance and
see on supermarket and store shelves. Food
texture of processed foods. Food additives are added for
processing enables the year-round availability
particular purposes, whether it is to ensure food safety
of foods that have limited growing seasons.
or to maintain food quality during the shelf-life of a
Frozen and canned fruits, vegetables and meat
product. For example, antioxidants prevent fats and oils
products are examples.

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from becoming rancid while preservatives prevent or these cases are highly related to „ready-to-eat‟ and
reduce the growth of microbes (e.g. mould on bread) minimally processed foods. For these facts the
and thickeners allow fruit preparations to “gel” so they innovative technologies and advancements are needed
can be spread onto toasted bread. to overcome the above consequences of the food
processing. The combinations of traditional and modern
Food colourings are used to increase the food processing methods and research advancements in
appeal of foods. While food colourings do not impart techniques can provide a major way to enhance food
improved safety or texture, they offer consumers a quality.
choice of products that may appeal to them or add to
their enjoyment of the diet due to its colour. Food Good nutrition is one of the keys to good
additives can supply specific sensory properties (e.g. health. You can improve your nutrition by regularly
taste and texture) to foods to meet cultural habits and eating foods that have a lot of vitamins and minerals in
consumer‟s expectations. them, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-
or non-fat dairy.
All food additives must be approved by
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